ICYMI: Dynamic Digest Week of 9/28

Welcome to the Dynamic Digest, a weekly recap of the latest news happening in our industry. Want the pulse of what’s going on in enterprise software and analytics, performance management, cloud computing, data, and other like topics? We got you covered!

This week in the world of technology, the White House hopes to help citizens through data analysis, Microsoft expands its Azure cloud and AppDynamics appoints a new CEO.

Google announced the launch of a new Cloud Platform region to better serve its customer base on the U.S. East Coast. Based in Berkeley County, South Carolina, it is now Google’s fourth Cloud Platform region in the world. The region supports Google Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, Cloud SQL, and will eventually offer Google App Engine. Adding more regions allows for customers to be closer to servers, ultimately reducing latency (slow functions) and providing customers with faster and more accurate service.

Key takeaway: The launch of this new data center is a competitive move for Google, as Microsoft and Amazon both offer a large number of regions for its cloud computing platforms. The three leading cloud powerhouses are fighting neck and neck in a race to snatch up geographical regions. With each company spending billions of dollars each year on cloud computing, we can’t help but wonder— who will come out on top?

This opinion piece may not be big news per se, but it focuses on one of the hottest topics in tech — the Internet of Things (IoT). There is no doubt that IoT will forever change the way we connect with devices, impacting our everyday life, and daily interactions. While IoT sounds incredible and almost quite magical, Williams makes a good point— what happens when smart devices “break”? If connected devices don’t work properly, not only will it be extremely frustrating, but the de-connectivity of one device can impact all the other ones.

Key takeaway: There is no doubt that IoT is the way of the future, but the focus needs to be on technical performance and user experience. Experiencing issues with your smart devices, such as your thermostat, alarm clock, light bulbs, etc., are all minor issues, but what happens when your internet-connected home lock doesn’t work? IoT performance issues will no longer be frustrations, but rather issues that seriously affect the security and well-being of citizens.

In February, President Obama added a new position to his cabinet— Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Data Policy and Chief Data Scientist. Dr. DJ Patil, a longtime leader in data science and the first person to hold this position, is working to formulate a plan that will better protect and utilize data to improve the lives of citizens. With medicine being a major focus, Patil hopes to bring together preeminent doctors, researchers and data scientists to further the development of personalized healthcare using data (with sensors, health apps, etc). Analyzing data about child labor, suicide prevention, social injustice and incarceration will be other major areas of focus.

Key takeaway: The challenge in analyzing such data is that there is not enough data to examine, people don’t know how to use it, or the data is essentially trapped inside a single database. For example, with Healthcare there is an abundant amount of data and a solid understanding of how to apply it to better the lives of individuals. However, it’s proving difficult to transfer data across various databases into a single integrated system. While there are many individual efforts working to help groups analyze data, there is still a long way to go in developing an understanding about data in other areas.

It looks like Microsoft is getting by with a little help from its friends (cue the Beatles). During its virtual event, AzureCon, Microsoft announced a series of expansions to its Azure cloud. The new Azure Cloud Service will incorporate Docker and Apache Mesos, two open source technologies. Other additions include various Internet of Things (IoT) applications, Nvidia GPU support, Linux container orchestration, and data centers in India.

Key takeaway: Microsoft appears to be doing it all— incorporating new changes to containers, security, infrastructure, and the Internet of Things (IoT). It’s the additions to its IoT suite however, that really has people talking, as it is now available for purchase. The suite will essentially act as a directory and storage base for the billions of connected devices and sensors and will ensure each customer and its product will function properly on its platform. With IoT becoming an increasingly hot topic and Microsoft’s strong position in the cloud computing world, it will be interesting to see what other tools major cloud players bring to the table.

On Tuesday, the software management company AppDynamics replaced its current Founder and CEO, Jyoti Bansal, with ex-Adobe executive, David Wadhwani. Wadwani comes from Adobe Systems Inc. where he recently held the role of senior vice president of digital media. A seasoned executive and businessman, Wadhwani spent 10 years at Adobe, leading the company’s digital group. Bansal will become Wadhwani’s right-hand man as he takes on his new role of executive chairman and chief strategist. The hunt for a new CEO had been going on for the past eight to nine months, as Bansal wanted to concentrate more on the company’s products and strategy and less on the business operations side.

Key takeaway: As the company continues to focus on becoming a leader in the software-defined world, the transition comes at a key time in the company’s development. An exciting transition for both, Wadhwani will be able to scale the company, while Bansal can drive the company’s strategy and innovation agenda. It’s been an exciting week here at AppDynamics!

We hope you enjoyed this week’s Dynamic Digest weekly roundup! Have a suggestion or preferred topic you would like to see next week? Tweet at us or leave a comment below!

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